Pride
by AdrenalineRush16
Summary: One shot/Drabble. Starfire dies.  Dark.  Briefly references the comics.


_Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans._

Summary: One shot. Starfire dies. Dark. Briefly references the comic books.

A/N: So…not sure where this came from. It was just one of those moods I guess and a very different take on Starfire. It's not very canon but I like the idea of making her seem a little selfish. It makes her seem more human...despite the fact that she's an alien. ;) I haven't written something like this before and haven't written any TT for a while so please let me know what you think! Thank you!

**Pride**

She knew she was dying. There was a feeling within her chest that was unmistakable. Much like wild animals on Earth, Tamaraneans knew when they began to die. Starfire could have never explained it to her friends nor would they have understood, not even the empath Raven. Starfire just knew.

Starfire should not have been scared, but she was. On Tamaran, death was not feared if it was in combat, but off the battlefield was a different matter. There seemed to be no honor in dying in a bed from an internal cause. And it wasn't just lack of honor. Starfire didn't want to have her friends see her like this. She was normally so close to her friends but she couldn't bear the idea of them seeing her so weak. Starfire was proud in that way. She was never the type to boast but deep down, she was always proud of her alien strength, her power of flight, and her fierce starbolts. That pride didn't want anyone else to know of her weakness.

Pride wasn't the only issue however. She also considered attitude her friends would have towards her impending death. Robin and the team would undeniably try to find a cure but they would fail. Starfire could never be considered pessimistic but she knew what she knew. She was dying and no one could stop that.

Most Tamaraneans would die of old age or combat though Starfire was still young by Tamaranean standards. This did not puzzle her however. The experiments done to her by the Psions had affected her body in more ways than just gaining starbolts. It had severely decreased her lifespan and there was no changing that.

Weeks passed and the feeling in Starfire's chest grew stronger until it felt as strong as her heart pulsing. Her body was slowly decaying. Her strength wasn't what it once was, shooting starbolts took more out of her, and her demeanor became more serious. And although Starfire tried to hide it, she was never a good liar.

The Titans noticed the difference in their teammate but none of them could put their finger on it. Cyborg and Beast boy assumed it was simply a "girl thing" and they would have their cheery friend back soon. Robin was worried but all of his questions were evaded by the space alien and his subtle investigations came to nothing. Raven sensed something within Starfire but could not name it. And while her teammates puzzled over the difference in their friend, Starfire weakened more and more.

She tried to hide it and for being a poor actress, she didn't do too bad a job. She made a point of spending as much time with her friends as possible. She meditated with Raven, cooked with Cyborg, played video games with Beast Boy and spent every other waking moment with Robin, even if it was just holding his hand while watching the sunrise.

The climax came during a fight with Cinderblock. Throwing more and more starbolts weakened Starfire to the point where she could no longer fly and she plunged down to the hard concrete. When she woke up, she was hooked up to oxygen and was told by Robin (who hadn't left her side) that she had been unconscious for 18 hours. Starfire only had the energy to squeeze his hand before she passed out again.

When she woke up for the second time, the sky was dark and Robin was asleep in the chair by her side. Starfire found it hard to move out of bed, her muscles felt so tired. She gazed at her best friend for one last time. Resisting the impulse to kiss him for the last time, Starfire quietly opened a window and flew out.

Flying took so much energy and Starfire chose to float rather than fly. She tried to hurry though before Robin woke up and found her gone. Starfire loved her friends very much but her pride did not allow her to return to the tower. She so dearly wanted to say goodbye though.

Starfire tried to go higher into the atmosphere but her vision was spinning and she slowly descended down towards the ocean. Finding the island where she once left Silkie, Starfire landed hard on the rough rock. Finding a niche between two boulders, the alien curled up into a loose ball. Her once vibrant orange skin was turning yellowish and her eyes were dimming. Although she could once withstand a blizzard without so much as a sneeze, Starfire began to shiver in the summer evening breeze.

The world began getting darker and Starfire felt her eyes close. Far away, she thought she heard her name being called by the one she loved best in the world but she had no energy to reply. It didn't matter anyway because that voice was far away.

Starfire drank in one last breath and then the Tamaranean was no more.


End file.
